WOO I CAN’T BELIEVE IT IS ALL OVER! After a week of fun activities and intense rehearsals, this time around I have made TOP 20 again and I have also won the award “Miss Teen Social Media 2016”. I was given a $1500 Top Model Search Canada scholarship along with 8 other girls, and I am excited to say that I will be going back to Toronto on August 14-21, 2016 to compete and meet with national & international model agencies! I can’t wait to reunite with my ‪#‎MTC2016‬ friends!

#MissTeenageCanada2016 top 20 girls

The week was a blur and I want to say thank you to everyone for making this a memorable journey! The 53 girls I’ve met this past week have been some of the kindest, smartest, most talented, and most gorgeous friends I have ever made, and I am beyond gracious for being a part of the ‪pageant family‬ and the Miss Teenage Canada organization the past 3 years!

Top 20 in 2014 & 2016

Thank you’s

Thank you to Michelle Weswaldi for opening all these doors for every girl who has stepped into the ‪MTC-W‬ family; I have learned so much throughout the years and I will continue to strive and become a positive role model!

To our wonderful chaperones, Christi W., Courtney M., Ryan W., Miss Teenage Canada 2015 – Sarah Wojcik, and Hazel Q., thank you for dealing with us crazy teenage girls throughout the week and giving us all the amazing advice! You have all played an essential role and thank you for keeping us organized & always ready!

I also will be missing Shawn and Hollywood, our choreographers, for their bubbly energy! Thank you for creating the awesome dance numbers and for making sure we looked our best on stage!

With Shawn, our choreographer.

To Marlon S., Fernando B., and Zvonko, our wonderfully talented videographers and photographers: rewatching the videos have made me laugh and cry; thank you for documenting this precious memory!

I express my sincerest gratitude to Angeline Mcdonald of Bells & Bows Bridal Centre for helping me in picking the most stunning gowns from provincials to nationals! I felt like an angel on stage and I highly recommend Bells & Bows for all your dress needs!

Another figure to be highlighted is Robert Campbell, our social media director, for his week-long blogging updates on what we were up to! Thank you for giving me the award of “Miss Teen Social Media 2016” and I will continue to blog/Facebook/Tweet/Instagram during the rest of my reign!

Special shout out goes to my roomie Miss Teenage South Central Ontario 2016 – Isabella: you are a wonderful person and I have faith in you that you will go far! To my loves, the BC ladies, thank you for always sticking together through thick and thin; I can’t wait to meet up again with y’all once we are all back in west coast! From fundraisers to charitable events to parades, we have been through so much together and let’s continue to use our titles for good causes! Last shout out to every other delegate: we all shined bright like diamonds and don’t let a number discourage you from continuing to make differences in your community! I love you all and hopefully we will cross paths in the near future! Big congratulations to Miss Teenage Ottawa 2016 – Samantha for winning ‪Miss Teenage Canada 2016‬! Bring that TEEN UNIVERSE OFFICIAL crown back to Canada!

On Saturday, July 16th, five of us BC delegates arrived in Toronto at 6:30pm and had a great girls’ night together before officially beginning the first day of our pageant. BC squad rolling out!

For the day after, we had a filling breakfast and lunch and we then began anxiously waiting to be assigned to our new rooms and to attend the welcome party.

With new roomie, Isabella – Miss Teenage South Central Ontario 2016

As we entered the top floor at the Airport Holiday Inn in Toronto, loads of girls and crowns and familiar smiley faces welcomed us at the 2016 Miss Teenage Canada Welcome Party!

Special thank you to all the sponsors who came out and the week is going to be a blast!

Bradlee Ryall Golf Academy

At the party we had a mini putting session from Bradlee Ryall Golf Academy, where I actually managed to get the ball in the hole! I became one of the “finalists” for the golf-off of the night, and after a second lucky ball-in-hole I was a top 3 finalist for the party! I guess PE 10 did kind of help me with putting? Good job to Shawna from BC (woohoo) for taking home the win!

Bradlee Ryall Golf Academy teaches golf lessons at six golf courses on the west of Toronto. On Wednesday, July 20th, we will all be going there for group lessons and a one-hole golf game for two ladies’ golf jackets, prizes from SWING active wear!

Hashtagio

A social media aggregator, Hashtagio uses a user generated marketing platform to collect all our social media posts tagged with #MissTeenageCanada2016. It was pretty cool seeing our posts projected live at the party! Check out the feed URL that YOU can subscribe to and follow along for the rest of the week as we embark on our journey become the next Miss Teenage Canada! All images and text from the 65 delegates across Canada will be accumulated on the official Miss Teenage Canada website and blog network, saved in the archives.

Sweets Canada

I was hungry by the time I got to Sweets Canada’s chocolate tastings exhibit (my mouth is watering again just thinking about it)! Sam Bhutia, a representative from Sweets Canada, gave a very informative presentation and then gave out delicious gourmet chocolate bars samples – we were able to taste a bit of dark chocolate ginger! The bar had a sweet taste when it first entered my mouth, then it had a rich, not too bitter, not too spicy aftertaste that stayed on my tongue until I rinsed it down bit by bit. In my gift bag, I received a bar of dark chocolate matcha green with jasmine petals, as well as a box of Q’bites white chocolate cashews; more food to snack on for the rest of the week!

Archer’s Arena

As the girls channeled their inner Katniss with the bow & arrow set up at the party, we were all secretly adrenalized because we will ALL be playing Archery Tag in Toronto at Archers Arena on Thursday, July 21st!

Nuvango

A made-in-Toronto artist designed apparel brand, Nuvango, was at our welcome party with some AWESOME clothes! A girl’s MUST STOP right there! I was overwhelmed by the details in the artwork and I had a really hard time choosing a piece of clothing for me to take back to BC! I picked up one athletic stretchy tank top that will be great for hiking and ultimate frisbee practices when I get home! Did you know that the artist who designed my tank top is actually from Vancouver? Crazy, eh? I am super excited to tour around their headquarters on Tuesday, July 19th!

Golden Glamour Goddesses

Golden Glamour Goddesses are back with spray tanning and spray brightening! I made sure to check them out and say hi to Queenie, the representative for GGG! We got a can of cream moisturizer and it smelled like almonds! I am looking forward to get my spray brightening in two days!

Archer Dental

Special thanks to Archer Dental for the monogrammed, high quality Oral B traveler’s toothbrushes that we will receive later in the week in our gift bags! Our pearl whites will be squeaky clean even when we are away from home! Dear mom and dad, you don’t need to worry about our oral hygiene!

Rimmel London

Think makeup, think Rimmel London! Thank you to Rimmel London for sponsoring us! I look forward to seeing the mystery gift in our gift bags later in the week! I will keep you posted on what product I will have gotten!

Nationals is fast approaching and in less than 48 hours I will be boarding my plane to Toronto! This past week has gone by in a blur and I have been adrenalized with excitement! AHH IT IS HAPPENING!!! MISS TEENAGE CANADA 2016 IS HAPPENING!!!

For our second blog assignment, we each created a roll-up banner design for the upcoming Miss Teenage Canada competition, using a combination of creativity and technological prowess. Because I have always loved designing logos, t-shirt prints, and fun posters, this was definitely one of my favourite tasks yet!

Sign Source Solution, a multipurpose printing company, has generously donated a roll-up banner. Specialized in manufacturing business signs and event signage, this Toronto-based company will send a representative to the finals night on July 24th, to pose with the winning designer beside their design (printed on a real-deal roll-up banner!).

I took on a minimalistic approach when I created this banner as I searched for a colour combo that best complimented the MTC logo. In the end, I decided on a pink and white gradient, and added a blurred shadow offset to the logo to make it POP! This banner would also be a great backdrop for pictures because of its simple background colour.

Only 2 more sleeps and I am off! Thank you to everyone for your continuous support and let’s bring the crown back to BC!

Located at the north of Vancouver, British Columbia, Whistler Blackcomb is the largest and most amazing ski resort in North America. The official host for the 2010 Winter Olympics, Whistler Blackcomb is beautiful all year round. As a British Columbian, I am super lucky to have Whistler in my backyard as it has become one of my favourite local destinations!

Where is it exactly?

Take the Sea-to-Sky highway to Whistler and the trip takes about 2 hours north from the Vancouver International Airport (YVR). See the full list of transportation suggestions here. Click the map for directions!

Fun History Facts

1858: the 1st account of the valley area between Whistler and Blackcomb was of the Hudson’s Bay men searching for another way to the Cariboo Gold Rush up north.

1860s: British Naval surveyors referred to the mountain as “London Mountain”, which soon obtained the nickname “Whistler” because of the shrill whistle made by the Western Hoary Marmots who lived among the rocks.

1960: the Canadian Olympic Association surveyed the west coast for possible locations to host the 1968 Winter Olympics. Because there was no road, no electricity, and no piped water or sewer in the area, their bid for the Olympics was turned down. Franz Wilhelmsen, a local businessman, went forward with developing a ski area on the south side of the mountain.

January 15, 1966: Whistler officially opened for skiing and won instant praise for its vertical drop, excellent snow conditions, and gigantic alpine area.

December 6, 1980: the newly developed Blackcomb Mountain opened for skiing and the Village became available to the public.

Peak 2 Peak

The Peak 2 Peak Gondola deserves its own section in this blog because it is a MUST do whether you are visiting Whistler Blackcomb in the winter or summer! A tri-cable gondola lift that links Whistler Mountain to Blackcomb Mountain from peak to peak, it holds the Guinness World Record for the longest free span between ropeway towers (3.024 kilometres!). If you are not afraid of heights, I highly recommend taking the gondola cabins with the glass bottoms; it is SURREAL seeing the whole world unfold beneath your feet!

Winter activities

As a snowboard lover, I find myself constantly itching to pay visits to Whistler when that first layer of fresh powder sets on the mountains. Along with my school’s snowboard/ski racing team, we went to Whistler many times for our competitions this past year; I am pretty excited to hit the slopes again this winter!

I love Whistler because there are always so much to see and do even if you are not a skier or snowboarder. Whistler has its own village, full of shops, restaurants, and mini-attractions for locals to enjoy. My personal favourite is taking strolls across the village, holding a cup of steaming hot chocolate, while watching the snowflakes swirl around me as I dash in and out of boutique stores.

One thing I do recommend if you are coming to Whistler in a family unit is to rent a house as opposed to booking a hotel, especially if you have pets. There is so much more flexibility living in a rented place as it provides maximum family bonding time and it makes the whole experience warm and cozy. You never need to worry about disturbing other guests and you can cook your favourite meal anytime you want (there is even a supermarket in town)! Check out all the different lodging options here!

If you are up for some adventure, have fun in the Coca-Cola tube park, go on a snowmobile tour, take a scenic helicopter flight, or book a Blackcomb sleigh ride! Go forward with a full Canadian experience with some ice-hockey down by the lake while sipping on a maple latte and munching on a big bowl of poutine. Unwind at the Scandinave spa; life will never be the same again after you’ve submerged yourself in a hot bath, surrounded by a spruce and cedar forest! The Whistler Blackcomb website is the most informative place to check out if you are looking to book these activities!

Summer activities

The past few weeks I have gained an interest in hiking and, oh boy, Whistler in the summer never fails to impress! The gorgeous scenery and the absolutely breathtaking views of the forests, mountains, and lakes are just some of the #BeautifulBritishColumbia snippets that always give me a sense of joy!

Insider tips!

Whistler in the winter tends to be packed with people!!! If you want to skip the line, I would suggest that you book Ride Tribe/private/girls-only lessons (depending on your preference). There is a lot of freedom, the instructors are super friendly, and they can even guide you to the runs that are fresh & sans-people!

There is a Whistler App that gives you the newest deets on amount of snowfall, temperature, and updates on mountain conditions!

Try the penne alfredo if you are in Blackcomb mountain’s Glacier Creek Lodge; you can ask for half chicken and half chorizo sausages and they can accommodate with no extra cost!

Next time you visit British Columbia, make sure to drop by Whistler Blackcomb for lots of fun in the snow/sun!

Today I had the chance to visit and volunteer at Whistler Blackcomb, one of my favourite local destinations in BC for Arts Whistler‘s Whistler Children’s Festival! I was able to say hi to people from all over the world and I was able to celebrate the day with many, many adorable children! Thank you to Rebecca for giving me the opportunity to attend the event!

This was my first time at Whistler during the summer time and I really wanted to stay for a couple more days! Because of my involvement with my school’s Snowboard Racing Team this past year, I visited Whistler for quite a few times during the winter months. Although I would consider myself somewhat of a regular, there are still so much to do at the resort that I have never tried before! Check out my first blog assignment for more details about Whistler Blackcomb!

Happy Canada Day! From sea to shining sea, Canada is known for its cultural diversity and its beautiful wonders all year round. I am so thankful to be Canadian and I am thankful for its inclusivity! I cannot imagine a better place to live in; what’s not to love about Canada?

This year, I had a very exciting (and busy) Canada Day and I started off the morning with a bang at the Steveston Salmon Festival parade! Richmond holds a very special place in my heart because it was where I lived when I first moved to Canada, and I was able to meet quite a number of my classmates and teachers from my elementary school during the parade! Alongside MINI Richmond and a few of the other Miss Teenage BC 2016 delegates, we skipped down the road to spread as much Canadian “spirit” as we possibly could, saying “hi” to the community and wishing everyone a Happy Canada Day.

Before we knew it, the parade had ended. I had to quickly dash to my second parade of the day in Burnaby with some crazy navigation skills through the Canada Day traffic. Burnaby was my home for my senior high school years and it was just great seeing old friends and meeting new ones in my hometown! Thank you to Burnaby Village Museum & Carousel for allowing me to be a part of today’s festivities!

The day had not ended and I was glad. My last event of the day was definitely the craziest (crazy good!) and the biggest. I had a lovely afternoon with my 2016 Miss Teenage BC family as we came together for the annual Downtown Vancouver Canada Day Parade! All I can say is “WOW”; I am still wide awake from the excitement that is celebrating my Canada Day with a group of amazing ladies and incredible Vancouverites! There were lots of smiles, laughs, and waving as we jammed along the music throughout the parade route. The BC girls are ready to bring the heat to nationals and we would like to wish everyone a VERY HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!!!!!!!!

I was honoured to have been the emcee for this talent competition! I was able to watch the competition from a brand new perspective; it sure feels weird when I am not competing! Congratulations to C.Y. Royal Crown productions for a successful show and to all participants for all their hard work!

After a tough audition process and numerous rehearsals, the contestants have prepared for months for the big show. This contest provided a platform for youths to celebrate their talent and gave them the opportunity to shine like a star under a professional production made by a professional team.

Pita bread and gods of Olympus, these were just some of the highlights of my day spent at Greek Day!!! I am an advocate for encouraging diversity and multiculturalism, and Greek Day in Vancouver gave everyone a chance to have a taste of Greece and its amazing cultural identity!

At Greek Day, I was honoured to have been interviewed by “Spill Ur Beanz”, a TV program set out to promote multiculturalism in Vancouver. I look forward to watching the segment and connect with Spill Ur Beanz for a future project!

Ahh! It is always so exciting to cheer on the runners and being a part of running events!!! Today I had the chance to volunteer at Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5K as a medal distributor. I personally find it one of the most rewarding jobs because everyone will get to feel like they have accomplished something great since everyone is a winner!

Completing half-marathons and 5K courses are not easy accomplishments; the sweat, the training, and the determination of all the participants are especially inspiring! I wholeheartedly support all activities that encourage active & healthy living, and I cannot wait to run the course myself in future years to come!

I wish to take this time to thank one of my sponsors for the unwavering support that they have provided me throughout this journey! From skincare to healthy lifestyle choices, Sandra & Estie are truly professionals at their job! After every skincare session I have had at Derma Bright, my face is rejuvenated and my skin starts to breathe! Thank you so much for all the help for making sure my skin is as healthy as possible!